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Powerful magnitude 6.2 earthquake jolts western Japan


Leeanna McLean
Digital Reporter

Friday, October 21, 2016, 4:40 PM - A preliminary 6.2 magnitude earthquake jolted western Japan Friday, the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

The quake hit near Kurayoshi city just after 2 p.m. local time with a depth of 6.3 km. A series of weaker aftershocks followed, however, no tsunami warnings were issued.


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Several injuries were reported and the power was cut to nearly 80,000 homes. While houses and buildings suffered damage, no irregularities were reported at nuclear power plants in the region.

"In the area that experienced particularly strong shake, there is a danger of collapsed building and risk of landslides has increased, so please be very careful on further quakes and rain," Gen Aoki, director of Japan Meteorological Agency's earthquake and tsunami observations division told reporters. "Please do not enter anywhere potentially dangerous."

Officials continue to warn of possible strong aftershocks in the coming days.

Japan is no stranger to seismic activity, as the country lies along the Pacific ring of fire, a zone around the Pacific Ocean where 90 percent of the world's earthquakes strike. Approximately 1,500 hit the country annually. The largest recorded quake to hit the island occurred in March of 2011, when a magnitude 9.0 left more than 22,000 dead or missing and sent three nuclear reactors into meltdown.

SOURCE: Reuters

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